Welcome to TPR's new roundup of the latest headlines and news developments. It is designed to provide a succinct and clear summary of the stories TPR is following.
Today's weather: The week continues to be sunny and warm in San Antonio, with an expected high of 94 and a low of 77. The rest of the week will see similar temperatures, with sunny skies and cool evenings. A cold front next week will push highs into the high 80s by the middle of next week.
Also, the tropics are relatively quiet for now. Forecasters are keeping an eye on storms in the northwestern Caribbean Sea but the system may not pose a significant threat to the Gulf Coast until the middle of next week. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.
SAISD, NISD pull strawberry milk from cafeterias
Two San Antonio school districts have stopped serving strawberry milk in cafeterias amid student complaints this week.
San Antonio ISD said a student reported that the strawberry milk had a different consistency. Northtside ISD said it received three reports from parents of students at different elementary schools who alleged the milk caused their children to become ill.
Spokespersons from both districts confirmed that none of the milk served this week was expired. Both districts notified child nutrition services and pulled the milk from cafeterias.
Milk supplier Hygeia-Oak Farms Dairy said they were notified of the incidents from SAISD and NISD and disposed of the milk in an abundance of caution. They added that they were working with partners to determine the root cause of any issues.
San Antonio City Council approves new budget
The San Antonio City Council unanimously adopted the 2025 budget Thursday. The nearly $4 billion budget includes more than one billion dollars for public safety and more than $20 million in cuts as revenue growth slows.
Many departments received increased funding to pursue resident priorities like street improvements and more spay and neuter surgeries.
But City Manager Erik Walsh says the city will have to take a close look at its spending again next year.
Infrastructure, homelessness and housing, and public safety were top priorities in this year’s budget.
Council also OKs new contract with firefighters union
The City Council also approved a new contract with the local firefighters union.
This was the first time in 15 years that the two sides have a mutually agreed-upon contract.
It includes 21.3% raises for the firefighters phased in over three years. It takes effect on Oct 1.
The city and the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association had been working under arbitrator-imposed contracts following a bitter contract dispute in 2009.
Experts discuss how to avoid suicide by firearm
Texans mark National Suicide Prevention Month in September. Gun safety experts warn that suicide by firearm remains the cause of over half of all gun deaths in Texas, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Heather Pitamber, a licensed professional counselor based in San Antonio, encouraged people contemplating suicide to seek help right away. The 988 lifeline includes a call, text or chat option for those contemplating suicide or other forms of self harm.
She reminded people to look for the warning signs of suicide and seek help for friends or family immediately.
For gunowners, safely locking up guns can prevent a suicide in their homes. A cable lock, a lock box, a gun case and a full size gun safe are all options to safely store guns and prevent a suicide or accidental shooting by a child.
Friday is Park(ing) Day around the world
Centro San Antonio explained that Park(ing) Day began in 2005 when a San Francisco-based art studio, dedicated to environmental projects, set up a park for two hours in a metered space.
Since then, the event has spread, with temporary parks popping up in 162 cities and 35 countries, evolving into the global event designated as the day for creating temporary green space.
On Friday, metered parking spaces around the world will be transformed into an oasis of activation and innovation by citizens, small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments.
San Antonio's park will be downtown on Houston Street between Main and Laredo.
San Antonio may see cooler temperatures but a warm fall
The National Weather Service reported that fall officially arrives in San Antonio at 7:43 a.m. next Sunday, and almost right on schedule, a cold front is expected to reach at least the Hill Country that same afternoon.
But highs all of next week in San Antonio are expected to drop to only near 90, only slightly cooler than this week has been. Sitting on the porch at night will only be a little less sticky too.
And the Climate Prediction Center reports the long-term forecast for fall for the Hill Country and South Texas does not exactly encourage sweaters and hot mugs of cocoa. The October through December outlook calls warmer than average temperatures and below average rain chances.
Former San Antonio poet laureate on longlist for National Book Award
Octavio Quintanilla, San Antonio's fourth poet laureate, was included in the National Book Awards longlist this week for his newest work, The Book of Wounded Sparrows.
He joins nine other authors for the honor, which the National Book Awards Foundation bestows on poets and writers every year. Finalists are announced on Oct. 1. The winners are announced on Nov. 20.
Quintanilla is a professor of literature and creative writing at Our Lady of the Lake University.
The Rio Grande Valley native served as the city's poet laureate from 2018 to 2020. He published his first poetry collection, If I Go Missing, in 2014.
